The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-25

oih"ps Ihe colllslon OF the Celtic and
Britannia was unavoidable, but it does seem
TO iandsmen that If both had run very slowly
after their whistles showed that they were
In close proximity to one another until they
each ascertained the exact position Of the
other the collision could have been avoided
After they came In sight of each other un-
doubleday both ships adopted the best course
possible, but the precautions had baen de-
layed too long. The half speed of the Gel
uc had given her momentum which re-
versed engines could not overcome In time
The attempt of the heather Chinese to
force the Hawaiian King to open the ports
OF the Sandwich Islands to an unrestricted
traffic in opium Is the most barharnus per
fornanee of the kind since the English
forced the Chinese 10 open their ports to the
opium merchants Of India. The Chinese of
Honolulu put price on King kalakauas
head; tbs English, when the Emperor of
CHINA tried to prevent the traffic in opium,
winch was and Is such curse to his people.
went about their business more politely than
TIE uniformed Cinnamon of Honolulu
They began the Opium War, which ragged in
1902. The poor Chinese got out of that war
by allowing the baleful opium to be import
eed from British Indie, by paying to the
English war indemnity of twenty-one mill
lion dollars. and by giving to her Christian
majesty, Queen Victoria, the island of Hong
Kong, to have and to hold forever. If the
opium trouble in Hawaii should be settled on
such an equitable basis as the English set
tied their little trouble, Queen Kapiolani
might be troubled with the news that her ISL
and Kingdom had been taken by the Chinese
asan indemnity for sticking up the hand
bills Offering the reward for the Kings head.
Somebody who signs himself Constant
Reader" name which is not found in the
Directory, asks the PRESS to call the atten-
tion OF the Board Of Health to certain prem
Uses which he alleges to be in an unsanitary
condition. This is very roundabout way
to accomplish his object. The simple and
direct way would be to call on some member
of the Board Of health in person and notify
him OF the condition Of the premises he COM
plains Of, or write the Board a note signed
by his own name. That method must have oc-
CURED to Constant Reader" The question
Is whydid he not adopt it? 1t was not on ac-
count OF Its expense certainly. A postal card
TO the Board OF Health costs no more than a
postal card to the PRESS. And he could not
have expected the Board of Health to nav
any more attention to an anonymous COM
munication in newspaper, than to one over
his own signature addressed directly to them.
We are Obliged to conclude that the reason
Constant Reader sought to accomplish his
object through a communication to the
PRESS Is that he wanted to shirk the respon-
,slblllty OF making the complaint. Most like
y the premises he complains of are occu-
pied by neighbors Of his and that he fears
that he will bring down upon his head
their maledictions if he appears as
sponsor for the complaint. Doubtless it
is an unpleasant duty to complain of ones
neighbors, but it is duty nevertheless when |
those neighbors are maintaining nuisance |
which threatens the health OF the nejghbor-
hood. And there is only one correct way TO |
perform 1t, and that is by going before the |
Board OF Health and stating the facts boldly |
or, what is equivalent, communicating them |
to the Board over ones own signature |
The Board Of Health cannot be expected to
take cognizance of anonymous communica-
lions addressed them either directly or
through the newspapers.
When Constant Reader calls the atten-
ton of the Board of Health to the nuisance
in the proper way we have no doubt that it
will be remedied. If it is not the PRESS will
be very glad to assist him to get it attended
to. But the proper way is not through an
anonymous communication to the ncwspa-
pers.
There is nothing peculiar In Constant
Readers" method of procedure. He is only
one Of large class which seek to shirk disa- |
greeable duties on to the newspapers. If a
dangerous hole is found in the street
Instead of notifying the street commits
sioner these people generally assume
that he knows all about it and pro- |
coed to lecture him in the newspaper the
next DAY over an anonymous signature. If
apoliceman is guilty Of dereliction instead !
Of notifying the Mayor or Marshal directly
the anonymous communication is resorted
to. 1t seems never to occur to them that the
newspaper has responsibility as well as
the individual.